


the things i'd like to say out loud

by sodappend



Series: RinTori Week 2015 [2]
Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Rin is a sappy piece of shit, RinTori Week, so is Ai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-23 23:12:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4895932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sodappend/pseuds/sodappend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which, somewhere in the Olympic Village, Matsuoka Rin is reduced to tears.</p>
<p>RinTori Week 2015 Day 2: Love Letters</p>
            </blockquote>





	the things i'd like to say out loud

**Author's Note:**

> Model!Nitori inspired by [hubedihubbe's](hubedihubbe.tumblr.com) lovely fanart from some time ago. This is my favourite post-canon AU ;u;

Rin walks back to his hotel room to the sound of his teammates hooting and laughing in the halls. The envelope is clutched tightly in his hands, and he still hasn’t managed to get rid of the toothy grin that split his face when the woman at the gate handed it to him.

••••••••••

_“I’ll miss you,” Rin says as they lie facing each other, basking in the afterglow, thumb rubbing gentle circles under Aiichirou’s beauty mark._

_Aiichirou smiles and moves to crawl on top of him. He dips his head and captures Rin’s mouth in a sweet, lingering kiss._

_“I’ll send you a love letter while you’re away,” Aiichirou says when he pulls away. Rin huffs in amusement, Aiichirou giggles, and they share a long look before Aiichirou rests his head on Rin’s chest and drifts off to sleep._

••••••••••

The envelope is tinged pink and perfumed so strongly that the scent immediately begins to fill his room. He flips it, reading the words on the back that are neatly typed and printed. Rin snorts, imagining whoever is manning the post office attempting to read Aiichirou’s incomprehensible handwriting. He rips an opening on one side of the envelope, trying not to crease the paper inside.

> _Rin,_
> 
> _I’m not sure what day this will reach you. If it’s before your race, good luck! I know you can do it. If it’s afterwards, congratulations! I’ll be sure to call you as soon as I manage to get some free time, even if just to tell you that directly. I wish I could call you every day, but I’m already getting scolded for keeping my laptop open backstage._

Rin smiles as he reads the words, imagining Aiichirou timidly asking if he could leave his beat-up laptop on to watch the Olympics, of all things, while a half dozen hands do his hair and his face and makes little adjustments to his clothes.

••••••••••

_Rin is exhausted. He hopes the layers of makeup they’d sprayed onto his face did a good job of hiding how tired he looks, because now that he’s washed it all off he looks like he just finished running a marathon in the middle of summer. When he decided to become a professional athlete he knew probably end up doing some promotional work here and there, but he didn’t count on how completely hellish these kinds of jobs could be._

_He pulls his cap over his head and throws his bag over his shoulder, ready to wait for his cab outside so he can go home and sleep for the rest of the day, when someone calls out from behind him._

_“Rin-senpai!”_

_Rin turns around and he’s sure his jaw physically drops, because standing in front of him is Nitori Aiichirou, wearing nothing but a pair of very tight briefs under a robe that looks like it’s fallen open, a pattern of glittery silver-blue makeup around one of his eyes trailing up to his temple._

_“Wha- Ai?” He says, taking in Aiichirou’s face, who looks just as bewildered as he feels. “What are you doing here?"_

_“A shoot for an ad,” he says, beaming a sheepish smiles up at him, “Same as you, I’m guessing.”_

_They chat for a few minutes, catching up on each other’s lives, because while he’s heard that Ai got into modelling he doesn’t know just quite how well he’s been doing at it (very), and Ai hasn’t heard much except that he's broken some records (his spot in the next Olympics is pretty much secured), and when Ai’s called away by a disgruntled looking woman Rin leaves with a grin on his face and a new number in his phone, all fatigue forgotten._

••••••••••

> _I did promise to write you a love letter, but now I’m not actually sure how. Do I profess my undying love for you? How the deep red of your eyes stokes the passions of my soul? I’m already regretting my decision to write this. Please don’t laugh at me too much._

Rin’s cheeks are hurting from smiling too much, and his heart is beating fast in his chest. He checks his phone - it’s 4 in the morning in Milan, Ai should be asleep. He goes back up a few lines in the letter and rereads it, letting out a guilty huff of amusement when he reaches the part that he’s asked not to laugh.

••••••••••

_It's some ungodly hour of the morning and Aiichirou is still made up, a nice coat covering up the comfortable but uncharacteristically unfashionable sweater he'd pulled on after the show._

_"That was amazing," Rin says, pulling his collar up against the chill of the air, "_ You _were amazing. I don't know anything about this kind of stuff, but it was beautiful."_

_"I didn't have anything to do with that," Aiichirou says, shaking his head, "I just wear the clothes."_

_Rin clicks his tongue. "You may not have designed any of those clothes, but you were part of that show as much as everyone else," He smiles. "There wouldn't be a show without any of the models."_

_Aiichirou blushes, hiding his face in his scarf, and Rin's chest tightens as he's overcome with such a strong wave of fondness that he reaches out without thinking._

_He freezes, his hand resting on Aiichirou's hair. Aiichirou is staring at him, eyes searching. He bites his lip, and for a moment it's silent before he throws his arms up around Rin's neck and kisses him._

_There are groans of reliefs from both of them, Rin lowering his hands to wrap around Aiichirou's waist, and they kiss as the soft light of the sunrise surrounds them._

••••••••••

> _I’m going to stop writing now before I embarrass myself any further. But since this is a love letter I guess I have to say it - I love you, a lot. I was afraid it would be too soon to tell you, because I thought I loved you back in high school too even though I didn’t know you at all. I don't want to get ahead of myself this time. Maybe I really did love you back then. I don’t think it matters anymore._
> 
> _I miss you. I’ll talk to you soon!_
> 
> _-Ai_

Rin’s phone rings just as he finishes reading the letter, feeling tears well up at the corners of his eyes, and picks up ready to tell whoever is calling that he isn't up to go out tonight. 

“ _Congratulations!_ "

Rin cries.

**Author's Note:**

> ~~what are you saying the day totally isn't over~~
> 
>  
> 
> I'm sorry if this makes no sense. My Monday schedule is actual hell and I'm ready to pass out for the next three days. I will also edit this one when I am fully awake and free of school obligations. Goodbye.


End file.
